Puerto Vallarta, Jalisco, Mexico - Towns all along the Mexican Pacific Coast are 'battening down the hatches' in preparation for this year's hurricane season, which is predicted to be rather stormy.

Since 2014 will be unique in terms of maritime phenomena, with five high intensity hurricanes expected to affect the Mexican Pacific Coast this year, Mexico's Secretary General Arturo Zamora Jimenez recently met with Jalisco State security and emergency representatives to discuss preventive alerts and operations to be undertaken by all municipalities along the coast.

"...above all, we must prepare for the heavy rains that will result from the five Mexican Pacific cyclones that the State Water Commission has predicted will impact our coastal towns," Zamora Jimenez said.

He specified that this extreme weather is a result of El Niño, which will also produce pronounced droughts and extreme cold in mountainous regions and outlying areas during this year's Summer season.

For his part, Jalisco State Civil Protection Unit Director, Trinidad Lopez Rivas, assured the Secretary General that security measures are being strengthened to ensure the safety of residents and visitors during the upcoming Semana Santa and Pascua celebrations. He went on to say that more than 7,000 members of the Jalisco Civil Protection and Fire, Police and Transportation Departments, as well as medical personnel from the Ministry of Health, are already preparing for the Easter holiday period to ascertain that everyone has a safe and enjoyable vacation.